Something in a Mirror
by absolutefiction
Summary: "I never ever want to see another mirror in my entire life." A story about meeting the one you love...through the other side of a mirror. AU. NALU one-shot.


"Good morning weirdo!"

Lucy felt a smile pull at her lips even before she opened her eyes. Instead of giving him the victory though, she dug her face deeper into her pillow, muffling anything else he might be saying, "Five more minutes."

He laughed at her, "Don't blame me if you're late for class."

Lucy's eyes shot open and darted immediately to the alarm clock perched on her night stand. The glaringly evil red lights read way past her normal morning alarm causing the girl to hop out of bed and out her bedroom door as fast as humanly possible.

The blonde cursed only to hear the distant laughter of her pink-haired friend from back in her room in response. She grumbled as she showered, brushed her teeth, and applied her make up before returning to her bedroom, "No peaking this time, Natsu!" Lucy screeched before tossing on her school uniform.

The boy chuckled at her before covering his eyes with his hands, "You know, you could always just turn the mirror around. It's your own damn fault, weirdo."

Lucy sighed, knowing he was right. She finished buttoning up her blouse before turning back towards her mirror, beaming, "Done."

Natsu opened his eyes and uncovered them before smiling back at Lucy through the mirror's other side, giving her a thumbs up, "Looking good!"

Oh right, she forgot to mention that her best friend was talking to her through her mirror. Yes, you heard her correctly. She could see the pink-haired boy smiling away from the other side of her mirror; or from most mirrors anyways. It seemed to only work only in more private mirrors; which was a blessing for Lucy when she realized Natsu did not get a front row seat whenever she used the public girls' washroom.

It was an odd friendship, she had to admit. "See you after school Natsu! Have a good night!" Lucy shouted as she headed downstairs, backpack in hand.

"Learn lots!" She smiled at Natsu's call before heading out the door.

It was an odd friendship but deep down, he had become her saving grace. It had been a day like any other a year or so ago when she had just been entering her second year of high school that Natsu made his first appearance. He had been straightening a tie, if she recalled correctly, while she had been sitting at her desk one evening doing homework. The blonde had been shocked, needless to say, and her shriek had alerted Natsu that he was not alone as he got ready for work that morning.

Despite the numerous times the two of them had played the 'denial' card and tried to fix the weird gateway that had been created between them, the two had resolutely decided to get to know one another instead. It had been friendship ever since.

Natsu was a few years older than her, a recent university graduate himself, while Lucy finished off her last year of high school. He was charming and definitely knew how to get under Lucy's skin, but the added company had become so natural that Lucy felt the two strangers had grown remarkably close.

That and it was quite fun having a secret friendship. No one else had been able to see Natsu when she showed them so Lucy figured it was something only between them. Weird as it was, Lucy stopped questioning it long ago and decided to just go with it.

Lucy arrived at school just as the morning bell rang. She made a mental note to thank the pink-haired boy when she got back home for waking her up on time.

* * *

"This one?" Natsu helplessly stared at the blonde through the mirror, holding up yet another patterned tie.

Lucy scrunched her face up in thought, looking between Natsu, his tie, and his suit. "Hmmm, I think the last one looked better."

Natsu sighed in relief, grabbing the light pink one from earlier before popping his collar and tying it around his neck, "Thanks, you're a life saver." He smiled a 'thanks' her way, watching as she smiled back from her place perched on her bed.

Lucy was casually sitting on her bed, her homework scattered around her precariously as she studied for her upcoming finals. She was clad in her pajamas, ready for bed. Natsu smiled thinking that, although she was only someone he could see through his mirror, he knew that somewhere in the world, she was actually a real, breathing, laughing, happy human being; not just a figment of his imagination. He had definitely worried about his sanity after seeing the blonde in a few mirrors but realized quite quickly that she was, in fact, a real person.

"Looking good Mr. Dragneel." Lucy shouted through the mirror after having finally seeing the fully dressed and business-ready Natsu through his side of the mirror, "I think you'll do great; you've been preparing forever."

"Mr. Dragneel? Makes me feel ancient," Natsu smiled at her, "Thanks, I'm still worrying over here. If I don't get this I'm stuck at ground zero again."

Lucy chuckled, "My history teacher always told us, 'If you're nervous, that means you want to do well'. So you'll rock it!"

The pink-haired man laughed at Lucy's sad impression of what sounded like a middle-aged man before thanking her again, "I don't know what I'd do without you, Luce."

"Luce? We're doing nicknames now?"

Natsu felt a small blush hit his cheeks, flustered at his slip up, "I don't know...it's that or weirdo."

"'Lucy' is always on the table, you know."

"Nah, 'Luce' suits you better."

Lucy remained silent as Natsu smiled back at her, feeling like he won this 'argument'. The young man turned to grab a few things to finish getting ready for his meeting. He still felt very new to the job but he had slowly gained his barring as time went on. It had actually been one of his first day on the job when Lucy appeared in his mirror; definitely added to him thinking he was losing it as he remembered being extra flustered and stressed that morning.

He looked over to the girl who had returned to her homework. Her sunshine blonde hair splayed down her shoulders, recently showered and clean. Her eyes were concentrated on the words in front of her, giving Natsu a good glimpse at her pouty and full lips and the gentle up and down of her chest as she breathed. Every little nuance was something Natsu had begun to cling to; yearning for the real thing. Oh what he would give to touch her, to be in the same room with her. "Hey Luce?"

The girl in question glanced up at him, "Yeah?"

"Have you ever thought about...meeting?"

"Meeting?"

"In real life."

Natsu felt himself physically reel back in nervousness at her response. Would he sound like some creepy old man who wants to get in her pants? Or maybe some desperate loser who couldn't get a girl here so she's the next best thing? All the millions of 'worst-case' scenarios played out in his head while Lucy only smiled at him, "That's funny."

He cringed, '_Yup, I'm a creep_.'

"...get out of my head!" Lucy laughed, "I was just thinking about that recently. Do you think we ever will?"

Natsu was taken aback, eyes widening as he looked back at the blonde, "What?"

"Do you want to meet?"

He took a breath, smiling again finally, "Yea, I really do."

Natsu raised an eyebrow when the younger girl started manoeuvring her study things and got up off her bed. She was walking towards the mirror Natsu was currently standing in front of and stood directly in front of him. He gulped again realizing how close it felt like she was; from this angle it almost felt like she could have been standing directly in front of him in real life. On that thought and without realizing his own actions, Natsu raised a hand up towards her as if to touch her cheek but was stopped by the face of the mirror, annoyingly reminding him of how truly far away she was. Being in such different parts of the world, he would only ever see her wake up when he was just ending his day and she would already be well in her pajamas with teeth brushed when he was eating his breakfast. It was too far for him.

Lucy had noticed his gesture and frowned, similar thoughts running through her own mind at their lack of physical presence. But without hesitation, she reached her hand out and placed her palm gently on the glass of the mirror, "I can't wait to meet you someday."

Natsu's eyes widened once more, looking at her palm. He sighed, gently smiling back at her before placing his own palm directly onto hers. It was still cold but he felt something more in this action alone than in all of their previous conversations shared over the year or so that they had known each other, "Me too, Luce. I look forward to it...but can it be sooner than later?"

At that, Lucy laughed.

* * *

"She was your girlfriend?"

Lucy watched as sadness crept into the young man's eyes before he looked back at her, "Yea, Lisanna...we met back in middle school."

The blonde nodded, looking at the photo album Natsu held up towards her. The picture showed a younger Natsu with his shoulder slung over a beautiful white-haired girl standing next to him. The two teens seemed on top of the world, their beaming smiles shining in the moment of time immemorial. Lucy smiled sadly, knowing this boy had an entire past she did not know; she would just be the girl in the mirror to him.

Lucy was starting to regret this 'show and share' time they decided to have. Natsu had shown up in her mirror on a Friday night looking miserable and seeing as it was Friday night, Lucy had oh-so brilliantly thought that a walk down memory lane together would be the best way to cheer up her friend.

How sadly she had been mistaken.

"Where is she now?"

And it just kept getting worse.

Natsu sighed, the sadness in his eyes deepening before he answered, "She was killed in a car accident sometime before graduation."

Lucy frowned, almost feeling tears pricking the back of her eyes, it stung, "I'm so sorry Natsu. We don't have to talk about this anymore...it was a stupid idea."

The young man was surprised and finally looked over at Lucy, surprised that she looked so sad. It had been a sad memory but one that he had not talked about too often with anyone. University and life after high school had definitely distracted him and helped him move on so reliving the unhappy experience of losing one of his dearest loved ones had been almost cathartic after so many years of choking the memory of his Lisanna down. "Nah, it's okay Luce. If anything, you've helped me."

Lucy did not look like she believed him, "Oh yea? I'm sure it has been a beneficial experience for you." She replied sarcastically, scowling at him before looking down at her toes.

Natsu could not help but smile at the girl's stubbornness. She had her legs pulled into her, holding her knees tightly and not looking at him. She had been a sight for sore eyes when he had arrived at his place after a long and hard day of work. Lucy had been just waking up but had unfortunately come down with the flu, deciding to stay home from school. In the year or so they had known each other, this had by far been their longest and deepest conversation yet.

That was enough for him to smile.

"Yea actually." Natsu grinned, "It was nice getting to know you more."

Lucy blushed suddenly at that, looking back up at the grinning idiot, "But doesn't it hurt? I mean..."

Natsu scratched the back of his head before loosening his tie, "Well yea but it's different than those past times. Usually I'd want to drink away my sorrows or something else equally just as cheesy...but this time feels different. So if anything, I thank you for it."

Lucy watched him, scrutinizing him at his sincere reply, before slowly smiling, "Well I'm glad I could help."

* * *

"Well who asked you?!"

Natsu felt a vein pop up in his forehead, the blood rushing to his face in anger, "You're the one that asked! If you didn't want the truth than don't ask."

The blonde nearly growled at the young man through the mirror, who was staring back at her equally just as angry. She had asked him a simple question and suddenly their normal exchanges had escalated to this full blown argument. It definitely was not one of their only yelling matches but Lucy was especially flustered, confused as to why Natsu was acting this way, and so early in the morning for him where he was from. The girl had only asked him how she looked and he had agreed that her choice in clothing was complimentary. But once he found out why she was getting all dolled up, his usually happy-go-lucky attitude had turned immediately sour, "Seriously Natsu, what's wrong with you then? It's just a date!"

"Nothing's wrong with me, Lucy," Natsu grumbled, tossing his hands up in frustration, "If anything, it's this mirror that's what's wrong with me."

Lucy faltered at that, "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly that," Natsu grumbled, avoiding eye contact, "Why don't you just go on your stupid date and leave me alone, huh?"

Lucy felt something in her chest ache as Natsu spoke, the deep seeded anger that was coming from him was surprising and caught her off guard. Tears were pricking the back of her eyes before rage returned to her once more, "Oh yea? Well who needs you anyways," She looked around for something to throw, "I never liked this mirror anyways!"

And with that she tossed the first thing her hands came into contact with, her glass of water. As the glass objects made contact, Lucy watched a shocked Natsu slowly fade away before all the blonde could see was a shattered mirror in front of her. Her eyes widened in horror at what she had done, scrambling to the carpet to gather up the pieces of glass, trying and failing to put the pieces back together and fix the mirror.

Natsu was gone.

"Natsu..." Lucy whimpered, "I'm...I'm sorry! I didn't mean..-please come back. Please."

Suddenly tears were streaking her face as Lucy stared helplessly at the shattered reflection of her own face through the broken mirror. It hurt thinking that she had done this. Even if she got a new mirror, what if it broke their connection? What if that was the last time she got to see him? And the last thing she said to Natsu was out of pure anger. Who was she kidding, would he even want to see her again after something like that? He probably thought she was an immature child.

"Lucy."

The blonde grew quiet when she heard her name whispered.

"Lucy, I'm right here."

Lucy glanced up and heard the sound of Natsu's whisper coming from the top of her make-up desk. Standing up and walking towards the cosmetics, she immediately saw Natsu's face in one of her much tinier magnifying mirrors. The first thing she noticed though was the obvious tear Natsu had shed, "Natsu..."

"Hey, sorry about earlier," Natsu shrugged, rubbing the tear stain away, "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Lucy realized he must have still been present for her little panic crying moment and blushed, "Oh Natsu, if anything it's my fault. I'm sorry."

Natsu recovered quickly, "It's all in the past. Umm...you better get going on your date; it's late isn't it?"

Lucy glanced at the clock realizing her date would arrive in a few. Looking back at Natsu, she made her decision, "Nah, I'm not feeling it tonight. I mean, I have a mirror to clean up before my parents get home and start questioning me." She laughed.

Natsu smiled before quickly joining her, laughing along with her.

* * *

"Are you nervous?"

Lucy let out a laugh, "Pff, never. You?"

The deep chuckle coming from the other side of her cell phone hit her ears, sending chills down her spine, "I'm a ball of nerves right now if that's what you mean. Who knew?"

"Who knew what?"

"That you could do this to me."

Lucy blushed as she meandered her way through the large crowd that was the airport population. The blonde was too busy navigating her way through the hustle and bustle to reply, much to her relief. Natsu had been driving her mad this whole morning, leading up to his plane's arrival.

Yes, she was, after two years, about the meet the man from the mirror.

"Lucy?"

The blonde shook her head, bringing herself back to reality, "Yea? Sorry, it's pretty packed in here."

She could almost hear the smile on his face through his words, "Well no rush, it's not like your late or anything."

"Oh shut it!" Lucy huffed, "Traffic was terrible and now this...I don't need to hear it Mr. Dragneel."

Natsu, on the other end, laughed outright. He had landed only a few minutes ago and immediately dialed the number Lucy had given him. She, of course, was late in picking him up but he did not mind; it allowed him time to preprocess the fact that he was going to finally meet the girl who had slowly made her way into his heart. In a mere few minutes, he would be able to touch her, smell her, physically hear her laugh, and pull her into a hug; something he had wanted to do for quite some time now. Looking around the airport arrivals, Natsu felt himself getting antsy. He wanted to see her and yet felt terrified at the notion.

"Oh we're back to the 'Mister' now are we? Whereabouts are you now?"

Lucy huffed at him again on the other side of the line, making Natsu's smile widen, "I'm just about there."

That was when he saw her, or at least her hair bobbing through the crowds of people. His heart almost raced right out of his chest at the sight of her, "I see you."

And with that, he hung up his cell, standing up and grabbing his backpack. He lugged it on before making his way in her direction, his eyes never leaving her across the way. Eventually, Lucy had made her way close enough that she was able to see him as well. But instead of the picturesque run-into-each other's-arms scenario that Natsu had played out in his head, they both just stood a few feet away from each other, just staring at each other silently.

He took this chance to take a good look at her. If he could have, the pink-haired young man would have raised his arm up to double check there really was no solid surface separating them. This was real. She was actually standing right before him, not in some silly mirror. "Lucy." He whispered

That seemed to break the spell.

Lucy smiled before running to him, tossing herself into his arms. Natsu beamed, pulling her close to him and relishing in the feel of her in his arms, the smell of her hair as she cuddled in close underneath his neck. This was heaven.

"Hi Natsu," came her tiny voice, muffled by being smashed up against his chest.

They stood there again for a few moments, finally enjoying the feel of touching the other, before Natsu finally let her go.

"Nice to meet you, Lucy heartfillia," Natsu smirked.

Lucy laughed, still holding on to him, "You too, Natsu Dragneel."

Natsu smiled warmly before diving down, capturing her lips with his. Finally being able to taste her left Natsu feeling euphoric. He needed this girl and finally having her in his arms, he was not planning on letting her go.

Pulling away, Natsu beamed when he saw the smile Lucy was sending him, "I never ever want to see another mirror in my entire life."

She burst into laughter before he captured her lips once more.

* * *

**A/N: **Funny...I should be writing a paper and instead, this came out. Read and review! :)

By the way, I never thought I'd say this but...this was actually inspired by a song called 'Mirrors' by Justin Timberlake. I don't do song fics...this is a one time deal.


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